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2014 BMW X5 problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls

HIGH COMPLAINT SIGNAL
48%
44 of 92 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

48% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2014 BMW X5 are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is a model-level pattern, not bad luck.

Worse than 61% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 6 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 45%).

NHTSA data checked October 3, 2026

The VIN is on the listing, the driver’s door jamb, and the bottom of the windshield on the driver’s side.

Does the 2014 BMW X5 have fuel system problems?

Owner complaints say yes, as a model-year pattern. 44 of 92 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2014 BMW X5 concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (48%), and the largest group is filed under fuel/propulsion system (20). For comparison, the 2013 scores 72% and the 2015 scores 65%. On a test drive, check for hard starts, stalling, hesitation, a fuel smell or a check-engine light. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.

Drivetrain complaints
44
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
98
this model year
Fires reported
10
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
8
3 crashes · 3 injuries

Complaints by component

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM20 · 20%
ENGINE16 · 16%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM15 · 15%
STRUCTURE15 · 15%
POWER TRAIN12 · 12%
FUEL SYSTEM11 · 11%

The years either side

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

How the 2014 compares with other BMW X5 years

Of the 14 BMW X5 years with enough complaints to score, the 2014 is the 4th-best on engine and transmission share (48%). The worst is the 2011 (83%), the best the 2023 (39%). By volume, the 2014 drew 98 complaints (44 drivetrain), against 162 for the 2013 and 152 for the 2015.

BMW X5 years to avoid and best years →

In the full report

The rest of the picture on the 2014 BMW X5

  • The mileage where it happens. When owners of the 2014 BMW X5 said the problem showed up, and the range most of them fell in.
  • What the repair costs. Typical fuel system repair ranges, to price into your offer.
  • Cleaner alternatives. Similar cars and nearby years with a better record.
  • Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
  • What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive, for this car.
  • Two cars side by side, if you are deciding between them.

What one owner reported

POWER TRAIN,ENGINE06/29/2026
I purchased my vehicle around Labor Day of 2020. I still own and operate the vehicle. Since I have owned my vehicle, I have repeatedly been told my turbos are leaking oil, etc. I have even had several oil leaks repaired on my car. Fast forward six years, and I am buying 5 quarts of oil every two weeks and topping up th…

One of 44 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows up to 15, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

2014 BMW X5 engine recalls

Yes. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns on the 2014 BMW X5 involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 8 in total. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.

fuel system, diesel21V907000 · Nov 2021

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2013-2018 328d, 328d xDrive, 2014-2018 328d Sports Wagon, 328d xDrive Sports Wagon, 2014-2016 535d, 535d xDrive, 2015 740Ld xDrive, 2015-2017 X3 xDrive28d SAV, and 2014-2017 X5 xDrive35d SAV diesel vehicles equipped with an Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) module with an integrated cooler. The EGR cooler may leak internally, causing coolant to mix with diesel…

Risk: A melting intake manifold increases the risk of a fire.

Fix: Dealers will replace the EGR cooler and inspect the intake manifold, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. This recall includes all vehicles previously recalled under 18V-755. Vehicles previously recalled under…

fuel system, diesel: delivery: fuel pump21V586000 · Jul 2021

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2014-2018 328d, 328d xDrive, X5 xDrive35d, 2014-2016 535d, 535d xDrive, 2015 740Ld xDrive, and 2015-2017 X3 xDrive28d vehicles. The high-pressure fuel pump may fail.

Risk: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Dealers will replace the high-pressure fuel pump, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on January 14, 2022. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

engine and engine cooling: exhaust system: emission control: gas recirculation valve (egr valve)18V755000 · Oct 2018

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2013-2018 BMW 328d and 328d xDrive, 2014-2018 328d Sports Wagon and 328d xDrive Sports Wagon, 2014-2016 535d and 535d xDrive, 2015 740Ld xDrive, 2015-2017 X3 xDrive28d SAV and 2014-2017 X5 xDrive35d SAV vehicles equipped with an Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) module with an integrated cooler. If the EGR cooler leaks internally, the coolant can mix with diesel…

Risk: The melting intake manifold can increase the risk of a fire.

Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the EGR cooler as necessary. If a leak has already occurred, the engine intake manifold will also be replaced. These repairs will be made free of charge.…

5 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
air bags: frontal: driver side: inflator module24V527000 · Jul 2024
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2015 6 Series Gran Coupe, 2014 5 Series Gran Turismo, 2014 5 Series Sedan, 2015 6 Series Convertible, 2015 6 Series Coupe, 2014 X5, 2013-2014 X3,…
air bags: frontal23V797000 · Nov 2023
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2014 X3 xDrive28i, X3 xDrive35i, X5 sDrive35i, X5 xDrive35i, and 2015 X4 xDrive35i vehicles. The driver's air bag inflator may explode during…
air bags: frontal: driver side: inflator module16V683000 · Sep 2016
BMW of North America, LLC. (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2015 BMW X3 sDrive28i, X3 xDrive28i, X3 xDrive35i, X3 xDrive28d, X4 xDrive28i and X4 xDrive35i vehicles, and model year 2014-2015 X5…
air bags15V147000 · Mar 2015
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2015 BMW X5 xDrive 35d Sports Activity Vehicles (SAV) manufactured August 19, 2014, to February 16, 2015, and 2014-2015 BMW X5 xDrive…
latches/locks/linkages14V202000 · Apr 2014
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2014 X5 SAV vehicles manufactured December 12, 2013, through March 10, 2014, and equipped with the Soft Close Automatic (SCA) option.…

Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model; one of NHTSA's listings did not answer when this page was built, so the list may be incomplete. Checked October 3, 2026.

Checking one particular 2014 BMW X5? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.

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Questions people ask about the 2014 BMW X5

Does the 2014 BMW X5 have fuel system problems?

Owner complaints say yes, as a model-year pattern. 44 of 92 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2014 BMW X5 concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (48%). Before buying one, have an independent mechanic check the fuel system and ask the seller whether it has been repaired or replaced.

What is the most common problem with the 2014 BMW X5?

Going by NHTSA owner complaints, the most common problem filed against the 2014 BMW X5 is fuel/propulsion system: 20 of 98 complaints (20%) name it, followed by engine (16) and electrical system (15). A complaint can name more than one component, so these overlap.

Is the 2014 BMW X5 reliable?

On the engine and transmission, owner complaints point to a weak spot: 48% of relevant complaints filed with NHTSA concern the drivetrain (high signal). That is worse than 61% of the 1,790 model years we track. Among the 14 BMW X5 years we score, it ranks 4th-best. Complaint data describes the model year, not one car, and it says nothing about trim, paint or electronics outside the drivetrain; an independent inspection still decides it.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2014 BMW X5?

Yes. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns on the 2014 BMW X5 involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 8 in total: 21V907000 (fuel system, diesel), 21V586000 (fuel system, diesel: delivery: fuel pump), 18V755000 (engine and engine cooling: exhaust system: emission control: gas recirculation valve (egr valve)). Whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN.

Which BMW X5 years are better?

Among the BMW X5 years we track, the 2023 (39%), the 2019 (45%) and the 2018 (47%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2014 (48%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car. Every year side by side: https://thelanecheck.com/cars/bmw-x5

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Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle. Combined across 4 body styles NHTSA files separately.